FIX OK: Solving Tulsa s homeless pet overpopulation crisis

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Marcus Freeman
5 years ago
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1 FIX OK: Solving Tulsa s homeless pet overpopulation crisis A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH

2 Srategy: Actively recruit cities/towns to pass spay/neuter ordinances. reason, cost Educate pet owners on law and benefits Reward responsible pet owners Goal: Reduce Oklahoma s homeless pet population through spay/neuter Increase funding for spay/neuter programs Streamline prosecution Increase access to spay/neuter Enforce via ticketing

3 reason, cost (education and awareness) Precisely define and clarify the spay/neuter law in Tulsa (specifically about breeders, show dogs, etc.) Post on FIX OK and OAA the monthly TAW numbers of spay/neuter tickets written, monthly intake numbers, monthly euthanasia numbers and costs. Need to get numbers of costs and euthanasia totals. Speakers bureau for local clubs and organizations including civic, scout, and school programs Provide printed information for those interested Tulsa City Hall meeting Meet with Mayor and City Council about the problem, the cost to the city, the proposed comprehensive solution Brian s presentation Ask city to annually support its own ordinance by including bill stuffer in City of Tulsa utility bill about spay/neuter being the law and how to get help. reason, cost

4 reason, cost (education and awareness) reason, cost Videos/music - Video with area celebrities and role models 30-second and 1-minute videos with same script and then a personal note by several local and area celebrities. Edit composite video and also post a new video every day during February. Create you tube channel of videos. Use same tag line at end. Promotional music possibly provided by Travis Fite. Launch at Fur Ball, distribute on social media, post on OAA website, etc.

5 reason, cost (education and publicity) Advertising Billboard campaign Fix ok bumper stickers that say spay/neuter is The law in Tulsa Produce and distribute Fix OK counter stand with brief info about spay/neuter being required by law (clarify exceptions or not for show dogs and breeders), include link and QR code for help and way to donate online. Ask all area veterinarians and animal supply retail stores to display these. Can recognize participants on the Fix OK page of OAA website and Fix OK Facebook page. Publicity / news releases Fix OK and T-Town TNR. Write stories and profile a different spay neuter group every day in February with links to donations to sponsor a spay/neuter. Maybe ask a college journalism PR class to help write stories (they get stories printed with bylines). Oklahoma pets magazine article in February about how sponsor a spay/neuter. Contact homeowners associations in December to include article about spay/neuter is the law - in February newsletter. Clarify what the Tulsa law is (including breeders, show dogs, etc.) reason, cost

6 reason, cost (education and awareness) Direct mail Contact utility companies to request inclusion of bill stuffers about spay/neuter. Include info about spay/neuter being required by law in Tulsa. Websites Clarify and provide explanation of city ordinances requiring spay/neuter on City of Tulsa website and Fix OK page on OAA website. Design/update Fix OK page on OAA website with information, laws, clinics, etc. Social media Post monthly numbers of spay/neuter tickets written, monthly Intake numbers, monthly euthanasia numbers and costs. Need to get numbers of costs and euthanasia totals. Point of purchase Place Spay/Neuter is the law posters at veterinarian offices, retail stores selling animal food and supplies, etc. reason, cost

7 reason, cost (education and awareness) City Signage and Advertising At dog parks and city parks stating spay/neuter is required by law. Have ACO monitor River Trails at Tulsa River Parks and ticket owners walking unneutered dogs. Maybe have a Fix OK and spay/neuter information booth there. City utility bill stuffers twice a year stating that spay/neuter is required by law and providing link to Fix OK or other resources Display posters at city bus stops that say spay/neuter required by law Car magnets on MANY city utilities that say spay/neuter is the law in Tulsa TAW ACO truck said snip it or ticket which some people may not understand Posters at the city courthouse including court room hallways that say spay/neuter required by law (could be same as bus stop posters) Decals on police cars that say spay/neuter is the law in Tulsa Posters at city libraries stating spay/neuter is required by law and providing information about low-cost clinics. Signage at all city parks about spay/neuter required by law reason, cost

8 reason, cost (education and awareness) Special events: Hip to Snip month Marquee campaign - Massive network effort to ask all businesses, schools, and churches with marquee signs to post the same spay/neuter message about spay/neuter being required by law - on a specific week or weekend in February. News release about spay/neuter being the law and hip to snip month. Maybe get a popular celebrity to comment - as a news hook. Sell Fix OK t-shirts. Fix OK bumper stickers that say spay/neuter is The law in Tulsa Information table at movie theatres when animal movies are shown Information table at city special events Neighborhood canvassing Conduct plotted door-to-door canvas of neighborhoods particularly areas such as NW of admiral and Harvard that need info about spay/neuter. Plot grid and organize volunteers to go door to door with spay ok info and unchain ok info. Ask rescue groups to adopt a neighborhood to canvas and distribute pre-printed information from Fix OK about low-cost options, the city law, offer help with transport, mobile clinic, etc. Train about what to say, do, and offer. Provide volunteers with Fix OK t-shirts or other ID. reason, cost

9 Increase funding for spay/neuter programs Increase funding for spay/neuter programs Increase funding efforts for spay/neuter programs Fix OK contest each month winner gets free spay/neuter voucher that they can use for personal pet or donate to a 501c3 rescue. Donation link for individuals to donate to sponsor spay/neuter for animals in need; promote the link Sell Fix OK t-shirts Host a taste of Tulsa type food festival - maybe in conjunction with benefit concert - to raise funds and increase awareness of spay/neuter being the law. Organize and host a run/walk to raise funds for spay/neuter and give t shirts to participants that carry message of spay/neuter and it being the law in Tulsa. Benefit concert with local bands to raise awareness and funds for spay/neuter programs. TNR programs

Increase access to spay/neuter Increase access to spay/neuter Increase access to low-cost clinics Mobile clinics Rescue clinics Voucher program Volunteer transport programs to take pets to/from

10 Increase access to spay/neuter Increase access to spay/neuter Increase access to low-cost clinics Mobile clinics Rescue clinics Voucher program Volunteer transport programs to take pets to/from low-cost clinics OAA subsidize spay/neuter clinics to reduce costs OAA to sponsor a spay/neuter clinic in north Tulsa with free spay/neuters - raise $2500 to have mobile vet clinic do this. Work with local civic leader to encourage pet owners to participate. Document results and consider plan to find repeat clinics. Repeat Hooters for Neuters Invite other companies or organizations interested in sponsoring/hosting mobile spay/neuter clinic (we will provide publicity in exchange for sponsorship)

11 Enforce via ticketing Enforce via ticketing Clarify spay/neuter law in Tulsa NO exception for breeders. Exceptions for intact are limited and require documentation but those intact animals still are not to be used for breeding. Electronic ticket machines to speed process for ACOs to write ticket. Note mixed feedback from ACOs - one said Jean would never allow this, does taw need a "friends of taw" to accept donations? Ensure all rescues/shelters require spay/neuter for any adoption before owner can take custody. Program to identify violators and encourage people to report Encourage social media buy/sell/trade pages to ban posts from breeders Vest cams for ACOs to wear during calls (to collect evidence, document procedure)

12 Streamline compliance/prosecution Streamline prosecution Investigate change in spay/neuter ticketing process possibly to work like parking tickets ACO and police can leave spay/neuter ticket on house where animal(s) are located Homeowner has 10 days to pay spay/neuter ticket or go to court in 10 days ACO follows up on those that pay without providing proof of spay/neuter If homeowner goes to court in 10 days, he or she has an additional 30 days to provide the court with proof that animal(s) has/have been spayed/neutered and have ticket(s) fee dismissed Find another way to make it easier to ticket and prosecute violators Contact/campaign for local newspaper(s) and local Facebook buy/sell/trade to ban ads and posts from breeders in towns where spay/neuter is required by law. Contact groups, notify of Facebook policy, report if they don t ban posts about animals for sale/breeding

13 Reward responsible pet owners Reward responsible pet owners Brainstorm ways to reward responsible pet owners who spay/neuter their pets. Ideas may include A city tax credit A free city pet registration in lieu of tag fee? Waiver of spay/neuter ticket fine if spay/neuter documentation provided in court within 30 days of first court appearance Reward communities that pass spay/neuter requirements as ordinances. Create an online community of responsible pet owners Self opt-in recognition Ask people to post videos of their pets and comment that they have been spayed/neutered.

Actively recruit cities/towns to pass spay/neuter ordinances Srategy: Actively recruit cities/towns Reward to responsible pass pet spay/neuter owners ordinances.

14 Actively recruit cities/towns to pass spay/neuter ordinances Srategy: Actively recruit cities/towns Reward to responsible pass pet spay/neuter owners ordinances. Develop information materials and program to support towns to become responsible pet ownership communities Outline the process to get a city ordinance passed requiring spay/neuter. Provide sample model city ordinances requiring spay/neuter. Post model ordinances on Fix OK page on OAA website Post steps to take to get a spay/neuter ordinance passed in any community Attend city council meetings when ordinance is proposed to demonstrate support Publicly thank and congratulate communities that pass spay/neuter ordinances and post on website Reward communities that pass spay/neuter requirements as ordinances.

15 Officially launch Fix OK program Talk with rescues and spay/neuter organizations to get their input and buy-in Talk with TAW to get their input and buy-in for the plan Meet with City Mayor and City Council to submit the plan including tasks for the city Announce Fix OK plan at Fur Ball Tulsa World article about the program launch Oklahoma Governor proclaims Fix OK day City mayors with spay/neuter ordinances in place proclaim Fix OK day Publicize on Facebook Conduct academic study about the cost to the state to not solve the homeless pet overpopulation crisis Contact state think tanks (like Oklahoma Watch and Oklahoma Policy Institute) for analysis and publicity

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